SAN ANTONIO (December 28, 2011) – Undefeated World Middleweight Champion and the Son of the Legend, JULIO CÉSAR CHÁVEZ, JR., and Top-Five pound-for pound fighter and three-division world champion NONITO “The Filipino Flash” DONAIRE will headline a world title doubleheader, Saturday, February 4, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Chávez Jr. will be taking on No. 1 contender MARCO ANTONIO RUBIO. Donaire will rumble with former junior featherweight champion WILFREDO VAZQUEZ JR. for the vacant World Boxing Organization (WBO) junior featherweight title. The fights will be televised live on HBO World Championship Boxing®, beginning at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with Zanfer Promotions and Tecate, tickets to the Chávez Jr. / Donaire world championship doubleheader go on sale This Saturday! December 31 at 10 a.m. CT. Tickets, priced at $200, $100, $60, $40 and $25, can be purchased at the Alamodome box office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at www.ticketmaster.com and via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800) 745-3000.
Combined, these four warriors boast a combined record of 145-7-3 (114 KOs) – a winning percentage of 94% and a victory by knockout ratio of 79%.
“In 2011, Julio Cesar Chávez Jr came into his own, winning the world middleweight title from Sebastian Zbik followed by a win in a title defense against Peter Manfredo Jr,” said Hall of Fame promoter Bob Arum. “The New Year promises to be even bigger for Julio, but first he is in a difficult challenge against No. 1-ranked challenger Marco Antonio Rubio. This should be a real battle. Also on Feb 4, Nonito Donaire continues his march through the weight divisions when he takes on Wilfredo Vazquez Jr for the vacant WBO Junior Featherweight Championship.”
Chávez Jr. (44-0-1, 31 KOs), of Culiacan, México, making his first appearance in San Antonio since 2010, is the son of Mexico’s greatest fighter Julio César Chávez. Chávez, 25, took up the “family business” in 2003, winning a four-round decision in his professional debut. Eight years later, the reigning World Middleweight Champion and superior gate attraction is poised to make his own mark in the boxing world. He took a major step toward that goal by enlisting legendary trainer Freddie Roach to take him to the next level. Their first fight together was a gigantic success, a dominant 12-round unanimous decision victory over top-10 contender John Duddy (29-1, 18 KOs) in June 2010 at the Alamodome in San Antonio. After his January 29 unanimous decision win over Billy Lyell, Chávez Jr. became the second family member to win a world title, dethroning undefeated World Boxing Council (WBC) middleweight champion Sebastian Zbik via a majority decision. That June 4 slugfest took place at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles just a few blocks north of the Olympic Auditorium where the legendary Julio César Chávez won his first world title. Chávez Jr. successfully defended his title on November 19 with a fifth-round knockout of Top-Five contender Peter Manfredo at Reliant Arena in Houston.
Rubio (53-5-1, 47 KOs), of Torreon, México, enters this fight riding a two-year, 10-bout winning streak with nine of those victories coming by way of knockout. This will be Rubio’s second crack at the middleweight crown. He went nine exciting rounds in his unsuccessful challenge against unified world champion Kelly Pavlik in 2009. Since then, he has scored knockout victories of Rigoberto Alvarez and David Lemieux in WBC middleweight title elimination bouts as well as Jose Zertuche and Matt Vanda in WBC Latin America title fights en route to his No. 1 world rating.
Donaire (27-1, 18 KOs), a native of General Santos City, Philippines, now living in the Bay Area of San Leandro, Calif., is a consensus top-five pound for pound fighter. He enters this fight riding a nine-year, 26-bout winning streak, which includes an IBF/IBO flyweight title knockout victory of defending champion Vic Darchinyan, and a fourth-round blasting of former WBA bantamweight champion Wladimir Sidorenko, December 4, 2010. However, Donaire’s most impressive victory occurred on February 19, when he knocked out defending WBC/WBO bantamweight champion Fernando Montiel in the second round, ending Montiel’s 25-bout winning streak while also claiming his third world title in as many weight divisions. That victory has been named the 2011 Knockout of the Year. Ten of Donaire’s last 12 victories have come by way of knockout. In his last fight, Donaire successfully defended his World Bantamweight Championship blitzing undefeated Omar Narvaez and winning virtually every round en route to a unanimous decision win.
Vazquez (21-1-1, 18 KOs), of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, strung together a four-year, 21-bout unbeaten streak, beginning with his pro debut, culminating with Vazquez winning the WBO junior featherweight championship. Vazquez captured the world title in 2010, knocking out Marvin Sonsona in the fourth round. He successfully defended the title twice during the following eight months, scoring knockouts of Zsolt Bedak and Ivan Hernandez in the 10th and 11th rounds, respectively. After losing the title to Jorge Arce in May, he bounced back in October with a third-round knockout of Roberto Leyva.
Sulaiman talks Mayweather
December 28, 2011 – Mexico City.
From WBC President Dr. José Sulaimán:
“I would like to clarify my feelings about some recent comments of mine, and apologize for not finding the right words in English – there are many times when I cannot find the right words to express what I really mean. The comments attributed to me are a complete misrepresentation of my true feelings.
“I am a devoted husband and father of two daughters, and have three wonderful granddaughters, as well. The Virgin of Guadalupe is my superior saint. I am the person that developed female boxing, and I am the person in the WBC that has always been concerned with the protection of women in the ring. I have always been a strong supporter of women’s rights and the protection of women in society. Those are the facts – everybody knows me.
“In my comments, I just meant to say that I have always been in the corner of all the boxers of the world. They are my greatest heroes and, good or bad, I will always be in their corner.
“I know Floyd Mayweather personally, and I know that he’s a good person. I know that he accepted a plea deal for a serious offense, and I did not intend to make light of that. The judge sentenced him to 90 days, which I think is fair. But I know that Floyd is a good human being with a good heart, and I am confident that he will redeem himself with his actions in the future.
“I just wanted Floyd to know that the WBC will always stay strongly in his corner.”
NABFnews
Hoping that 2012 will be a Banner Year for the NABF
The recent World Boxing Council (WBC) Convention in Las Vegas had to be, in my opinion, the best yet, over 90 present and former Champions in attendance as well as over 1,100 guests. A great time was had by all. A tremendous job by the WBC Office staff.
NABF Convention – 2012
We are looking into holding our Convention in conjunction with the WBC in Cancun, Mexico, in November. It would mean less expense to our members who generally attend both conventions. As this will be the 50th anniversary of the WBC, it is sure to be a great gathering of champions as well as boxing friends.
Fight Results
On 22 December in Oklahoma City, Michael Medina defeated champion Grady Brewer by unanimous decision to gain the NABF super welterweight title.
Upcoming Bouts:
6 January in Key West, Florida: Dyah Davis meets Alphonso Lopez for the vacant super middleweight title.
21 January at Roseland Ballroom, NYC: Gabriel Bracero defends his super lightweight title against Michael Clark.
28 January at Turning Stone Casino in Verona, New York: Brian Minto takes on Tony Grano in a heavyweight elimination bout.
18 February in Munich, Germany: Johnathon Banks defends his heavyweight title against DaVarryl Williamson.
To date since our June Convention, 27 NABF Title bouts.
On 18 December, Ring 8 awarded it’s Humanitarian Award to our own Jill Diamond. A well deserved honor.
In closing, I want to acknowledge the outstanding work by your Board of Officers in this past year. It has been my pleasure working with each of them.
In your corner,
Joe Dwyer